A batch CVD method repeats a cycle including adsorption and reaction steps along with a step of removing residual gas. The adsorption step is preformed while supplying the source gas into the process container by first setting the source gas valve open for a first period and then setting the source gas valve closed, without supplying the reactive gas into the process container by keeping the reactive gas valve closed, and without exhausting gas from inside the process container by keeping the exhaust valve closed. The reaction step is performed without supplying the source gas into the process container by keeping the source gas valve closed, while supplying the reactive gas into the process container by setting the reactive gas valve open, and exhausting gas from inside the process container by setting the exhaust valve to gradually decrease its valve opening degree from a predetermined open state.
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1. A batch CVD (chemical vapor deposition) method for a semiconductor process in a batch CVD apparatus, the apparatus comprising a vertically long process container configured to accommodate a plurality of target objects, a holder configured to support the target objects at intervals in a vertical direction inside the process container, a source gas supply system configured to supply a source gas into the process container, the source gas supply system including a source gas valve for adjusting supply of the source gas, a reactive gas supply system configured to supply a reactive gas into the process container, the reactive gas supply system including a reactive gas valve for adjusting supply of the reactive gas, and an exhaust system including a vacuum pump configured to exhaust gas from inside the process container and an exhaust valve for adjusting an exhaust rate, the method repeating a cycle a plurality of times to laminate thin films formed by respective times and thereby to form a product film having a predetermined thickness on the target objects, the cycle comprising, while keeping the vacuum pump running entirely through the cycle and using the exhaust valve based on definitions that a totally closed state and a totally open state of the exhaust valve are a valve opening degree of 0 to 2% and a valve opening degree of 90 to 100% thereof, respectively, an adsorption step of adsorbing the source gas onto the target objects, while supplying the source gas into the process container by first setting the source gas valve open for a first period and then setting the source gas valve closed, without supplying the reactive gas into the process container by keeping the reactive gas valve closed and without exhausting gas from inside the process container by keeping the exhaust valve in the totally closed state both entirely through the adsorption step; then, a first intermediate step of removing residual gas from inside the process container, without supplying either of the source gas and the reactive gas into the process container by keeping both of the source gas valve and the reactive gas valve closed, while exhausting gas from inside the process container by setting the exhaust valve in the totally open state; then, a reaction step of causing the reactive gas to react with the source gas adsorbed on the target objects, without supplying the source gas into the process container by keeping the source gas valve closed entirely through the reaction step, but starting supplying the reactive gas into the process container by setting the reactive gas valve open while exhausting gas from inside the process container by setting the exhaust valve in the totally open state, and then setting the exhaust valve to gradually decrease its valve opening degree from a predetermined open state to gradually increase pressure inside the process container while keeping on supplying the reactive gas into the process container and exhausting gas from inside the process container; and then, a second intermediate step of removing residual gas from inside the process container, without supplying either of the source gas and the reactive gas into the process container by keeping both of the source gas valve and the reactive gas valve closed, while exhausting gas from inside the process container by setting the exhaust valve in the totally open state, wherein the reaction step first sets the exhaust valve to gradually decrease its valve opening degree from the totally open state to the predetermined open state with a first decreasing rate for a second period, and then sets the exhaust valve to gradually decrease its valve opening degree from the predetermined open state with a second decreasing rate more moderate than the first decreasing rate after the second period.
A batch CVD (chemical vapor deposition) method for processing multiple semiconductor wafers in a vertically stacked batch reactor. The method involves repeating a cycle to deposit thin films. The cycle includes: 1) Adsorption: Source gas is pulsed into the reactor by opening and then closing the source gas valve while keeping the reactive gas valve and exhaust valve closed to maintain a sealed environment. 2) First Intermediate Step: Residual gas is removed by opening the exhaust valve fully, with both source and reactive gas valves closed. 3) Reaction: Reactive gas is introduced by opening the reactive gas valve, and the exhaust valve gradually closes from fully open, first at a faster rate and then at a slower rate, increasing the pressure. The source gas valve remains closed. 4) Second Intermediate Step: Residual gas is removed by fully opening the exhaust valve, while both source and reactive gas valves are closed. A vacuum pump runs continuously throughout the entire cycle. Exhaust valve opening is defined as 0-2% for totally closed, and 90-100% for totally open.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second intermediate steps includes supplying an inactive gas into the process container.
The batch CVD method as described where the cycle repeats an adsorption step, a first intermediate step, a reaction step, and a second intermediate step includes supplying an inactive gas into the process container during the first and second intermediate steps (residual gas removal). The method involves pulsing source gas, reacting with reactive gas while adjusting exhaust valve closure to control pressure, and vacuum pump runs continuously throughout the entire cycle.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second intermediate step excludes supplying any gas into the process container
The batch CVD method as described where the cycle repeats an adsorption step, a first intermediate step, a reaction step, and a second intermediate step excludes supplying any gas into the process container during the first and second intermediate steps (residual gas removal). The method involves pulsing source gas, reacting with reactive gas while adjusting exhaust valve closure to control pressure, and vacuum pump runs continuously throughout the entire cycle.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first period has a length within a range of 1 to 50% of that of the adsorption step.
The batch CVD method as described where the cycle repeats an adsorption step, a first intermediate step, a reaction step, and a second intermediate step, the first period (the time the source gas valve is initially open during the adsorption step) is between 1% and 50% of the total duration of the adsorption step. The method involves pulsing source gas, reacting with reactive gas while adjusting exhaust valve closure to control pressure, and vacuum pump runs continuously throughout the entire cycle.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second period has a length within a range of 1 to 50% of that of the reaction step.
The batch CVD method as described where the cycle repeats an adsorption step, a first intermediate step, a reaction step, and a second intermediate step, the second period (the time the exhaust valve decreases from a totally open state to a predetermined open state) is between 1% and 50% of the total duration of the reaction step. The method involves pulsing source gas, reacting with reactive gas while adjusting exhaust valve closure to control pressure, and vacuum pump runs continuously throughout the entire cycle.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reaction step excludes setting the exhaust valve in the totally closed state.
The batch CVD method as described where the cycle repeats an adsorption step, a first intermediate step, a reaction step, and a second intermediate step excludes setting the exhaust valve in the totally closed state during the reaction step. This ensures continuous gas flow during the reaction phase, with the exhaust valve gradually closing from a fully open state. The method involves pulsing source gas, reacting with reactive gas while adjusting exhaust valve closure to control pressure, and vacuum pump runs continuously throughout the entire cycle. Exhaust valve opening is defined as 0-2% for totally closed, and 90-100% for totally open.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reaction step excludes setting the reactive gas valve closed.
The batch CVD method as described where the cycle repeats an adsorption step, a first intermediate step, a reaction step, and a second intermediate step excludes setting the reactive gas valve closed during the reaction step. This ensures continuous supply of reactive gas during the reaction phase. The method involves pulsing source gas, reacting with reactive gas while adjusting exhaust valve closure to control pressure, and vacuum pump runs continuously throughout the entire cycle.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the adsorption step has a time length of 2 to 120 seconds, the reaction step has a time length of 2 to 120 seconds, and each of the first and second intermediate steps has a time length of 2 to 20 seconds.
The batch CVD method as described where the cycle repeats an adsorption step, a first intermediate step, a reaction step, and a second intermediate step. The adsorption step lasts 2-120 seconds, the reaction step lasts 2-120 seconds, and each intermediate step lasts 2-20 seconds. The method involves pulsing source gas, reacting with reactive gas while adjusting exhaust valve closure to control pressure, and vacuum pump runs continuously throughout the entire cycle.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the first period has a time length of 2 to 60 seconds within a range of 1 to 50% of that of the adsorption step.
The batch CVD method as described where the cycle repeats an adsorption step (2-120 seconds), a first intermediate step (2-20 seconds), a reaction step (2-120 seconds), and a second intermediate step (2-20 seconds), the first period (the time the source gas valve is initially open during the adsorption step) has a duration of 2-60 seconds and represents 1-50% of the total adsorption step duration. The method involves pulsing source gas, reacting with reactive gas while adjusting exhaust valve closure to control pressure, and vacuum pump runs continuously throughout the entire cycle.
10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the second period has a time length of 2 to 60 seconds within a range of 1 to 50% of that of the reaction step.
The batch CVD method as described where the cycle repeats an adsorption step (2-120 seconds), a first intermediate step (2-20 seconds), a reaction step (2-120 seconds), and a second intermediate step (2-20 seconds), the second period (the time the exhaust valve decreases from a totally open state to a predetermined open state) has a duration of 2-60 seconds and represents 1-50% of the total reaction step duration. The method involves pulsing source gas, reacting with reactive gas while adjusting exhaust valve closure to control pressure, and vacuum pump runs continuously throughout the entire cycle.
11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the product film is one selected from the group consisting of a silicon oxide film, a silicon oxynitride film, and a silicon nitride film.
The batch CVD method as described where the cycle repeats an adsorption step, a first intermediate step, a reaction step, and a second intermediate step produces a product film that is one of silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, or silicon nitride. The method involves pulsing source gas, reacting with reactive gas while adjusting exhaust valve closure to control pressure, and vacuum pump runs continuously throughout the entire cycle.
12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the source gas comprises a silicon source gas selected from the group consisting of trisdimethylamino silane, bistertialbutylamino silane, tetrakisdimethylamino silane, diisopropylamino silane, dichloro silane, hexachloro disilane, and tetrachloro silane.
The batch CVD method as described where the cycle repeats an adsorption step, a first intermediate step, a reaction step, and a second intermediate step and produces a film selected from silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, and silicon nitride, the source gas is a silicon source gas selected from trisdimethylamino silane (TDMAS), bistertialbutylamino silane (BTBAS), tetrakisdimethylamino silane (TDMAT), diisopropylamino silane (DIPAS), dichloro silane (DCS), hexachloro disilane (HCD), and tetrachloro silane (TCS). The method involves pulsing source gas, reacting with reactive gas while adjusting exhaust valve closure to control pressure, and vacuum pump runs continuously throughout the entire cycle.
13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the reactive gas comprises a gas selected from the group consisting of O 3 , O 2 , N 2 O, NO, and NH 3 .
The batch CVD method as described where the cycle repeats an adsorption step, a first intermediate step, a reaction step, and a second intermediate step and produces a film selected from silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, and silicon nitride, the reactive gas is selected from O3 (ozone), O2 (oxygen), N2O (nitrous oxide), NO (nitric oxide), and NH3 (ammonia). The method involves pulsing source gas, reacting with reactive gas while adjusting exhaust valve closure to control pressure, and vacuum pump runs continuously throughout the entire cycle.
14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the product film is silicon oxide film, the source gas comprises a silicon source gas selected from the group consisting of trisdimethylamino silane, bistertialbutylamino silane, tetrakisdimethylamino silane, and diisopropylamino silane, and the reactive gas comprises a gas mixture of O 3 and O 2 .
The batch CVD method as described where the cycle repeats an adsorption step, a first intermediate step, a reaction step, and a second intermediate step and produces a silicon oxide film, the source gas is a silicon source gas selected from trisdimethylamino silane (TDMAS), bistertialbutylamino silane (BTBAS), tetrakisdimethylamino silane (TDMAT), and diisopropylamino silane (DIPAS), and the reactive gas is a gas mixture of O3 (ozone) and O2 (oxygen). The method involves pulsing source gas, reacting with reactive gas while adjusting exhaust valve closure to control pressure, and vacuum pump runs continuously throughout the entire cycle.
15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing program instructions for execution on a processor, which, when executed by the processor, control a batch CVD apparatus to perform a method according to claim 1 .
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores instructions that, when executed by a processor, control a batch CVD apparatus to perform a method involving repeating a cycle comprising: 1) pulsing source gas into the reactor by opening and closing the source gas valve while keeping the reactive gas valve and exhaust valve closed; 2) removing residual gas by opening the exhaust valve fully, with both source and reactive gas valves closed; 3) introducing reactive gas by opening the reactive gas valve, gradually closing the exhaust valve from fully open; 4) removing residual gas by fully opening the exhaust valve, with both source and reactive gas valves closed. A vacuum pump runs continuously throughout the entire cycle.
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July 19, 2010
June 11, 2013
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